2015 Company

Melisa Annis is a NYC-based director and writer, born and raised in Wales. She has collaborated with many playwrights developing new plays from conception to realization, including Cusi Cram and Theresa Rebeck. Directing includes classics such as Henry V (Prospect Park Alliance), Twelfth Night (Rebellious Subjects Theater) and Hamlet (The Tank, NYC). Her plays include United Front (The Flea Theater), Fit For A King (Fordham), Pit (Theater For The New City). Keep Calm and Carry On was part of NEWvember 2013.

Brendan Burke* is in his eleventh season as Producing Artistic Director of the Shadowland Theatre in Ellenville, New York, and is thrilled to be back for another NEWvember. He also teaches in the Department of Theatre Arts at SUNY New Paltz. shadowlandtheatre.org

Tom Byrn* recently appeared in Mr. Lincoln by Herbert Mitgang in Cape May, NJ, and in Circle Mirror Transformation by Annie Baker at the REP Stage in Maryland. He is a new homeowner in central Pennsylvania and works there, in New Jersey and New York. He will be traveling to Istanbul soon to teach Shakespeare to Turkish students. Thanks to Tangent for this opportunity! And deep thanks to RF.

Tracy Carney (House Manager) is an actor, director, stage manager. With Tangent: The Vandal (SM) and house manager on many shows. Others: American Buffalo and The Vagina Monologues (Director), The Cherry Orchard (SM), Five 1-Act Plays by Pinter (Pauline, various) and Plaza Suite (Norma). Next: A Monologue, A Memory, A Rant and A Prayer for V-Day 2016 – a global movement to end violence against women and girls (CENTER for Performing Arts).

Summer Corrie is thrilled to be back with the NEWvember festival. She was also seen with Tangent as Grete in Sight Unseen and Annette in God of Carnage (pub reading). Other credits: Theatre: HAIR, West Side Story, The Heidi Chronicles, A MidSummer Night’s Dream, Quilters, and Making Contact. Film: Spin Slowly, A Different Night, and a comedy web-series called My Friend, Blashe. Summer is also a singer, performing throughout the state. summercorrie.com

Ben Fundis has joined Tangent for NEWvember 2013, pub readings and the 2011 production of The Zoo Story. He is a filmmaker, musician and a graduate of the film and electronic arts program at Bard College. He has appeared in several plays and musicals such as Pippin, as Pooh-Bah the Lord High Everything Else in The Mikado and as Jim Curry in The Rainmaker.

Meghann Garmany is an actor based in New York City and is thrilled to be working with Tangent and AboutFACE Ireland in her first NEWvember. Meghann is an Associate Artist with Everyday Inferno Theatre Company and a member of the acting company in The Playwrights Gallery. Recent works include former NEWvember playwright Fengar Gael’s Devil Dog Six and a slew of projects in development. Stay tuned! Everydayinferno.com; meghanngarmany.com

Samuel Hoeksema is thrilled to be reunited with the Tangent family for another Newvember. Currently focused primarily on music, Sam’s debut album under the moniker Lin is set for release next year. howyoulosehim.com

Jacob Horstmeier is thrilled to be back for his fourth NEWvember. He was most recently seen in Tangent’s production of Kenneth Lonergan’s Lobby Hero. New York credits include Post-Concussive Syndrome (Six Part Productions), and The Brothers Savage (Manhattan Repertory Theatre), among others. He earned his BFA in acting at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. He is a member of two NYC based folk/rock bands: GoodWolf and Dacada Summer.

Erica Kane (House Manager) is a Tivoli native and – after departing for higher education and travel – has now returned to where she was born and raised. She’s been a supporter of Tangent, and NEWvember in particular, from the beginning of their Tivoli roots.

Jesse Lessner (Assistant Stage Manager) is a recent graduate from SUNY Oswego with a bachelors degree in theatre. He appeared in their productions of Much Ado About Nothing, Sherlock Holmes, Once Upon a Mattress, Wait Until Dark as Harry Roat, Young Frankenstein as Victor Frankenstein, Rocky Horror Show as Riff Raff, and Arcadia as Valentine.

Amy Lemon* Olson has acted on stage in New York and Los Angeles for many theatre companies. She won a DramaLogue award for The Early Girl. Member Half Moon Theatre: Love/Sick, Good People, Is He Dead?, Almost, Maine, Ten Minute Play Festivals; River Valley Rep: God of Carnage; Tangent Theatre (member): Lobby Hero, The Vandal and NEWvember plays (Director); NEWvember actor along with Half Moon Ten Minute Play Festivals. Training: Uta Hagen, Miton Katselas, Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. AEA, SAG-AFTRA.

Suzy Morris (House Manager) is an accomplished theater professional and costumer, in New York and regional markets. Her designs were recently seen at the Tribeca Film Festival Freixenet after-party; she is currently the costume designer on Scrooge & Son (Tannersville). Suzy proudly worked on Tangent’s Sight Unseen and The Good Father.

Anna Nugent* is Co-Artistic Director of AboutFACE Ireland and a co-producer of NEWvember. She trained at the Gaiety School of Acting in Dublin, Ireland, and recently appeared in The McGowan Trilogy (featuring NEW2013’s The Long Wet Grass) at Kino-Teatr in the UK. A huge thank you to A&M at Tangent, Paul and the AboutFACE family for being fabulous producing partners, and to all the artists, volunteers and hosts that make NEWvember possible. You are inspiring! AnnaNugent.com @NugeNYC

Paul Nugent* is Co-Artistic Director of AboutFACE Ireland and a co-producer of NEWvember. Paul made his UK theatre debut in The McGowan Trilogy at the Kino-Teatr, Sussex this year. In New York, he was recently seen in the world premiere of Python at the 2015 1st Irish Festival. Huge thanks to Michael and Andrea at Tangent; Anna, Alan and the AboutFACE team; and to everyone for helping to make our 5th NEWvember happen! paulnugent.net @paulnugentactor

Brenny Rabine* celebrates her third year of NEWvember readings with a glad and grateful heart. Off-Broadway: Bill W and Dr. Bob (SoHo Playhouse). Regional: August: Osage County (Arkansas Rep), The Whale (Adirondack Theatre Festival), Other Desert Cities, God of Carnage, Boston Marriage (Capital Rep). She’s performed with Shadowland, The Majestic, InterAct, Oldcastle, among others. Brenny’s a proud member of Actors Equity and alumna of Mop&Bucket Improv Theatre. For ridiculous amounts of information, visit brennyrabine.com.

Audrey Rapoport* appeared in Sight Unseen (Tangent), Good People (Half Moon Theatre), Hay Fever (as Judith Bliss), Season’s Greetings, Kimberly Akimbo, Some Girl(s), I Am Rapoport (one-woman show, Cynthia Szigeti director), The Supper Club of Lost Causes, Down South, They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? Audrey has performed at the Montreal Just for Laughs and Woodstock Comedy Festivals. She currently teaches acting and comedy improvisation at the School of Visual Arts and Improvolution NYC. TV/film and shiny things: audreyrapoport.com

Andrea Rhodes (Producer) is one of the co-founders of Tangent. She produced Lobby Hero, The Vandal, Sight Unseen, The Good Father, Doubt, The Zoo Story, wanderers, Subway Series, Quick & Dirty, Waiting for Godot, The Local (short film) and Northern Blue (TV shorts) – and Tangent’s pub-readings. She is co-producer of the NEWvember festivals. Her consulting work, Gig Marketing, guides businesses to put their best foot forward. gigmarketing.us

Michael Rhodes* is Tangent’s Artistic Director. He has acted with Tangent, Stageworks/Hudson, Half Moon Theatre Company, Shadowland Theatre and River Valley Rep, among others. For Patricia Clancy Rhodes, who’s watching from the best seat in the house.

Lyndsay Robbins (Assistant Stage Manager) is currently attending Dutchess Community College for Human Services, mixed in with acting classes. Very proud to be helping the group!

Amie Tedesco* is thrilled to be back for her fourth NEWvember! Last summer, she appeared in Tangent’s pub-reading, 3 By Steve. Off Broadway: Round She Goes (Primary Stages, Reading), Lemon Sky (Keen), Any Day Now (Primary Stages, Reading). NYC Theatre: Outside (Player’s Theatre), Moon Orphans (MITF), and various sketch shows at UCB Theatre. Film and TV: Law and Order: SVU, “Crazy Good” (MTV Promo), Particles of Truth, various shorts and music videos. amietedesco.com

Toby Tieger (House Manager), a Tivoli native, has been a huge fan of the NEWvember festival for many years. He is very excited to be working with Tangent for the first time.

Andrea VanSwearingen (Stage Manager) specializes in production and event management. Recent theater work: Tangent’s Lobby Hero and The Vandal, Half Moon Theatre’s Fully Committed, Side by Side, Love/Sick, Good People and County Players’ Spamalot and Aida. She is excited to be back with all her favorite people on NEWvember, especially A2 and Michael!

Steven Young is a professional writer and performer. On stage: Looped (Stageworks), All My Sons, Our Town, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, and Tangent Theatre Pub and NEWvember readings. Puppeteer credits: Coffee Break films with The Muppets and Free to be You and Me with Wayland Flowers and Marlo Thomas. Currently, Steven is head writer for a series of e-learning business tools, and records spots for WKZE.

*member Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors in the United States, appearing under special arrangement

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NEWvember is a New Plays reading festival conceived by Tangent Theater Company of Tivoli, NY and AboutFACE Ireland of Dublin, Ireland.